However, returning Surrey's roads to a reasonable condition could cost as much as £50 million a year over the next 15 years – a total of £754 million and well above the £20 million so far announced by Cllr Kemp.

A spokesman for Surrey County Council said: "We're working incredibly hard to improve Surrey's roads – potholes are fixed at a rate of around 260 a day – but as Surrey has some of the county's busiest roads wear and tear really takes its toll.

"This means we face a £40 million funding gap over the next five years, and while our Operation Horizon project has seen hundreds of miles of roads rebuilt to make them pothole-proof for at least a decade, we would like to do more which is why we think busier roads should get more government funding."